I am not sure if I have 'tarry' stools or not, please help.

I have been having some stomach problems over the last couple of weeks. I am pretty sure that they are stress related as I am under MUCH stress right now. Mostly my stomach problems are gas, grumbling and a bit of tightness. I never really looked at my stools before so I don't know how they normaly looked. I have been looking at my stools over the last couple of days though and they range from light brown and soft to a mix of light and dark brown(light in some parts and darker brown in other parts). They are not black by any means but they do have some dark brown in them. I know this sounds nasty but I picked one out of the bowel with gloves on and broke it up. Aside from some small food particles I did not notice any red or black on the inside. The inside was light brown and soft.

Could this be considered Black/Tarry Stool? I am at a loss.

Please answer as quickly as possible as I am now paranoid of having blood in my stool.


Thanks

[Wilson]

I think "tarry" means actually black, as happens when there is bleeding from high up in the G.I. tract. It's common to have varying color within a given stool, such as you have. Sounds like you may have a little irritable bowel syndrome in reaction to your stress - maybe, but that's probably all.

[katey]

Thats not black hun, don't worry!!!  I went through the same thing.  I was SOOOO paranoid about my stool being black that i was even seeing black that wasn't there.  You should maybe keep something that is black in the bathroom, so when you go and are tempted to look, just look at the black thing and compare.  Kinda silly I know, lol ,but thats what i had to do to get over it.  Also, dark brown is not an indicator of blood in your stool.  It would be BLACK, so black that you wouldn't even have to ask on this forum.  You're scared, thats why you have that feeling of doubt.  You're ok though!!!  Even if your stools do seem a little "tarry", they're not black so its noooooooooot blood!!!! take care!
katie